put up a brick

Questions

What does put up a brick mean?

Taking a bad shot that strongly misses the target and clanks loudly off the rim or backboard.

Where does put up a brick come from?

Implies the basketball is as heavy and stiff as a literal building brick instead of having a soft, clean arc.

How to pronounce put up a brick

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “put up a brick”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “put up a brick”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “put up a brick” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.